If your growing baby bump has sprouted a network of white, red or purple-hued lines (or you?re suddenly noticing them across your hips, bum or breasts), you?re not alone. ?It?s not uncommon for women to develop stretch marks during pregnancy,? says Paul Cohen, a dermatologist in Toronto. They usually start to appear between 13 and 21 weeks and are caused by tears in the tissue under your skin as it stretches to accommodate your growing baby. Anyone can get them, but stretch marks are often more visible on fair-skinned moms and you?re more likely to get them if your mom had them, too. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to diminish and even prevent the appearance of baby beauty marks.
1. Prenatal belly massage
As with most things, the best ?cure? for stretch marks is prevention. Although there?s no way to guarantee that you won?t end up with a tiger-striped tummy during pregnancy, you can help minimize the number and severity of stretch marks. ?The best advice is daily massage with a body oil or lotion,? says Cohen. As soon as you start to notice your pregnant body growing, begin massaging the skin on your belly, hips and breasts with cream (ultimately any kind will do, he says) for a few minutes, at least twice a day. ?This will help prepare the skin for the trauma of stretching,? says Cohen. 2. Belly butters
Although applying any body lotion during pregnancy will help keep your skin hydrated and boost elasticity, there are a number of products on the market desi...